Ice skate



May 23, 1933. w F. HOERLE 1,910,898

ICE SKATE Filed June 1, 1931 INVENTOR mZlmm-Z' aerZe Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. HOERLE, OF TOBRING'ION, CON N ECTICUT, ASSIGNOR 'I'O UNION HARDWARE COMPANY, OF TORBINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT ICE SKATE My invention relates particularly to what are commonly termed tubular skates. In the past it has been customary to form such structures out of two or more pieces of metal riveted or welded together. These constructions, of course, have the natural disadvantages of devices made of two or more parts, i. e., expense of manufacture and the provision of cracks and seams which are likely to rust and open up.

One object of my invention is to provide a lighter and more durable construction.

Another object is to provide a construction which can be made more economically.

In developing the invention I have found it possible to make the tubular body and the runner out of a single flat strip of metal, stamped and folded together, and with the edges united to form the runner. I have also been able to make such a skate out of a low carbon steel which can be readily drawn and shaped and then carbonized, tempered and annealed. By such a process it is possible to produce a runner which is to a large extent self-sharpening.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a skate embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the tubular body and runner on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the skate is to be made.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the blank.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank partially formed.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

The body of the skate consists of the runner 7 and the tubular portion 8 formed out of a single strip of metal. Such a skate will be provided with suitable toe plate 9 and heel plate 10 connected to the body by supports such as 11, 12 and 13 in any suitable manner.

The blank 14: may be of a flat strip of metal 14, such as steel, capable of being drawn, tempered and annealed. Such a I strip may be of uniform thickness and of suitable composition either of high carbon steel or alloy steel.

The blank is formed so that the edges 15 are brought together to form the runner and welded or riveted at a number of points, for instance, by spot welding or line welding. The tubular portion of the body is formed by stamping longitudinal grooves 16 into the blank as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. =At the same time the central portions of the ends are grooved as at 17. An additionalforming operation brings the flanges 1515 together to form the runner 7 and produces the tubular portion 8 which affords the necessary longitudinal reinforcement.

When a low carbon steel is used it can be readily carbonized by careful treatment so as to increase the carbon content up to an amount say 80 points, or more which will permit proper hardening, tempering and annealing. It will be understood, of course, that the ends of the blanks are trimmed off as at 18 to anydesired shape either before or after the forming operation.

The process of manufacture as above described makes itpossible more readily to reduce the thickness of the stock between the edges 15-15, for instance by rolling'or swaging while the steel is soft and inthis way provide a very light tubular portion with an adequately thick runner. For instance, for a hockey skate I may employ a blank five hundredths of an inch thick and reduce the central portion 19 to one-half this thickness. Such a construction would provide a runner with a cutting edge onetenth of an inch thick.

Of course, I do not wish it understood that the invention is limited to the use of anyspecific thickness of stock. Racing skates may be made of still thinner stock.

According to the use .of my invention it is possible to greatly reduce the costof the skate and also to reduce the weight and still afford adequate strength and durability.

When the skate body is formed of soft their supports. 1n any suitable manner.

as 20 and 21 in the blank which materially increase the strength of the tubular portion with the addition of a minimum amount of metal.

It will be understood that the carbonizing of the body would take place prior to the attachment of the toe and heel plates and The skates may be finished A'skate blade can be made according to my invention out of such thickness of metal as is commonly employed in making the tubular reinforcement, and in such case will "have much greater strength than the old form., In fact it is possible by my method to make a skate blade which will be not only stronger but lighter than those heretofore made.

The preferred process or method of manufacture is covered by my patent 1,898,140, dated January 3rd, 1933 I claim:

1. A skate blade formed of a single strip of soft steel having a tubular body and integral runners welded together and carbonized on the outside and ground to pro-' vide a self-sharpening edge.

, i 2. A one-piece skate blade formed from a fiat strip of metal having a number of ribs extending longitudinally in its central portion, said blade comprising a tubular portion having rib-like reinforcement and ,integral side plates secured together and forming the runner.

3. A one-piece skate blade formed of a single strip of steel having a central tubular body and a runner with side blades in- .tegral with the body and rigidly secured together at various points along their lengths, said blade being at least partially carbonized, hardened and tempered.

4. A skate blade formed of a single strip of soft steel having a portion bent into tubular form and having at least one runner integral therewith, said blade being carbonized and hardened after formation and then tempered.

5. An ice-skate formed of soft steel having a tubular body portion extending longitudinally'of the skate and runners integral with the tubular body portion, carbonized on the outside, hardened, tempered and ground to form cutting edges.

6. An ice skate formed of strip steel having a one-piece longitudinal tubular body portion and runners integral therewith, welded together, then carbonized, then hardened, then tempered and ground.

7. An ice skate formed of strip steel having a one-piece tubular body portion and flanges integral therewith and of greater thickness than the metal of the tubular portion and connected together and formingv the runners.

WILLIAM F. HOERLE.

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